Chess Makes My Head Hurt
by Marymel
Summary: Greg tries to teach Jackson about chess...and Jackson comforts his daddy. Mild spoilers for "Killer Moves."


**Jackson is my original character, but I don't own CSI.**

**I would have posted this sooner, but my laptop died :(.**

**I also don't know anything about chess, so I'm kind of writing this from Jackson's point of view.**

**I loved seeing part of Greg's past in "Killer Moves," and I wondered how Greg might introduce chess to his son. So here's what I came up with. Some mild spoilers! Hope you all enjoy...and pretty please review!**

Greg sighed quietly as he looked at the chessboard. He hadn't played chess in years, but talking to his former teacher Max and the events of the case made him think about the game. He smiled softly when he thought about playing chess with Max, how he enjoyed those games in the park back home in California. He also thought about Jackson - he wondered what Max would say if he met Greg's son.

Sara smiled when she walked back to D.B.'s office and saw Greg lost in thought. She cleared her throat and Greg looked up just in time to see Jackson and DB behind her, chatting about their day.

Greg smiled when he saw his son. If Jackson ever wanted to play chess, he'd let that be Jackson's decision. Right now, Greg was happy to let Jackson be a little boy.

Jackson rushed up to Sara and hugged her. "Hey, honey!" Sara said with a big smile.

"Hi, Aunt Sara!" Jackson looked over and smiled when he saw his father. "Hi, daddy!" Jackson said as he rushed into his arms.

"Hey, Jacks!" Greg said with a warm smile, so happy to hug his son. "I've missed you."

"I miss you, too," Jackson said with a big smile. "I play music in preschool!"

"You did?" Greg asked his happy son.

"Yeah! Miss Lisa let us play drums!"

Greg smiled. "Whoa! Did you make a lot of noise?"

"Yeah!"

Greg hugged his son, so happy to see Jackson at the end of the case.

Jackson looked at the chessboard Greg was staring at. "What dis, daddy?"

"This is chess. It's a game."

"Like Candy Land? Mrs. Barbara showed me how to play dat."

Greg laughed softly. "Not really. See, you try to move the pieces and take down your opponent."

Jackson looked at Greg, confused. "Huh?"

"It means...you know, I think it means there's a lot of complicated moves and you try to outwit your opponent."

"What does 'outwit' mean?"

"It means try to be smarter than the other player."

"Oh. Den what does 'opponent' mean?"

Greg laughed softly. "Opponent is the person you're playing against."

Jackson thought for a moment and looked at the chessboard. "Why can't you move dem over dere, like dis?" Jackson moved a piece over one space.

"Like you do with checkers?" Greg asked. Jackson nodded. "Because you have to move them a certain way. It's kind of like...you know how you wake up in the morning and have breakfast and all that?" Jackson nodded again. "Well...there's a way you like to get up and get ready for the day."

Jackson shook his head. "Daddy, dat's very confusing."

Greg smiled warmly, loving how innocent Jackson was. "Yeah, it can be confusing." He looked at his curious son and smiled. "I tell you what...if you don't want to play chess, you don't have to. You can play something else."

"I can play Candy Land wif you?" Jackson asked with a smile.

"Absolutely! And you can play music, or checkers, or anything you want."

Jackson smiled widely. "Cool! Cause dis is making my head hurt!"

Greg couldn't help but softly laugh as he hugged his son. "Yeah, it can be confusing. But who knows? Someday, you might want to play chess."

"Someday," Jackson said. "But I rather play sumfin' else wif you!"

Greg loved how Jackson always made him feel better after a case. "You know what, Jacks? When I was a little bigger than you, I played chess."

"You did?"

"Yeah, and I was pretty good. I even was the captain of my chess team in high school. How bout that?"

Jackson's eyes widened and he smiled. "Whoa! You very smart, daddy!"

Greg smiled warmly at his happy son. "You're very smart, too. And you're handsome, and kind. And I love you very much."

"I love you very much too!" Jackson hugged his father. When he pulled away, Jackson said, "I fink you da bestest, an' you da smartest, an' you da handsomest, an' you da bestest!"

Greg smiled slightly. "You said I'm the bestest twice."

"Well, yeah...cause you are, daddy!"

Greg kissed Jackson's head and hugged his beautiful son, loving how innocent and happy Jackson was. "You can be whatever you want, Jacks."

"Anything?"

"Anything," Greg said with certainty. He smiled warmly at his beautiful son.

Jackson's smile could rival the lights of Vegas. "Cool! Cause I wanna be a scientist, like you!"

Greg raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You do?"

"Yeah. An' I wanna be a drummer an' paint pictures an' play football wif you an' Uncle Nicky, an' work wif animals like Aunt Sara, an' I wanna eat chocolate ice cream!"

Greg smiled. "No matter what, I think you're going to be the best."

Jackson giggled. "Yay!"

Greg and Jackson hugged, just loving being together. Greg loved how innocent Jackson was, and knew he'd be the best at whatever he wanted. And he hoped Jackson never lost his love of learning. And he knew Jackson would always know how much Greg loved him.

**The End.**


End file.
